Pelargonium plant named ‘Kuegrapidue’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Pelargonium  plant named ‘Kuegrapidue’, characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; pinching is not required; freely flowering habit; light purple and red purple bi-colored flowers; no requirement for cooling treatment for flower initiation and development; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium crispum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KUEGRAPIDUE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Pelargonium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium crispum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Kuegrapidue’.

The new Pelargonium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new Pelargonium crispum plants with uniform growth habit and unique flower colors.

The new Pelargonium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in Dresden, Germany in 2007 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Pelargonium crispum, not patented. The new Pelargonium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany in June, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Pelargonium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since August, 2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Pelargonium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Pelargonium have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Kuegrapidue’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Kuegrapidue’ as a new and distinct Pelargonium plant:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; pinching is not required.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Light purple and red purple bi-colored flowers.     -   5. No cooling treatment required for flower initiation and         development.     -   6. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Pelargonium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower color. In addition, plants of the new Pelargonium are more freely branching than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Pelargonium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium crispum ‘Pacbicolor’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,882. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Pelargonium differed from plants of ‘Pacbicolor’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Pelargonium were more compact than plants         of ‘Pacbicolor’.     -   2. Plants of the new Pelargonium had smaller leaves than plants         of ‘Pacbicolor’.     -   3. Plants of the new Pelargonium and ‘Pacbicolor’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Pacbicolor’ had red purple-colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Pelargonium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Pelargonium plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Kuegrapidue’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices which closely approximate commercial Pelargonium production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were 13 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium crispum ‘Kuegrapidue’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium crispum, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium crispum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures of 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 25 days at             temperatures of 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 28 days             at temperatures of 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days             at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; creamy white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and mounded plant habit;             broad inverted triangle; relatively short internodes, bushy             dense appearance; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely             basal branching habit with about five to seven lateral             branches developing per plant; pinching is not required.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 13 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of leaves.—About 11 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 13 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Internode length: About 1.4 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 146B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 2 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Deltoid.         -   Apex.—Emarginate.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137B; venation, close to 137B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 138B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers arranged in             rounded umbels arising from apical leaf axils; umbels             displayed above the foliage on moderately strong peduncles;             flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, aromatic.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about four to             six flowers develop per umbel and about eight to ten umbels             developing per plant.         -   Flowering season.—In Germany, plants begin flowering in the             spring and flowering is continuous throughout the summer and             into the autumn; plants do not require a cooling treatment             for flower initiation and development; early flowering             habit, plants begin flowering about 60 days after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 2.5 cm to 3 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 4 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.2 cm by 2.5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 1 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single             whorl; two larger upper petals and three smaller lower             petals. Length: Upper petals: About 2 cm. Lower petals:             About 1.9 cm. Width: Upper petals: About 2.6 cm. Lower             petals: About 9 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper petals: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 59A;             venation, close to 59A; color does not fade with             development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 71C; venation, close to 71C. Color, lower petals:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 75C;             central spot, close to 59A; venation, close to 59A; color             does not fade with development. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 75C; venation, close to 71C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape:             Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 146A.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: Mostly erect.             Texture: Smooth. Color: Close to 137B.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 1.1 cm.             Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Angle:             Mostly erect. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close to 137B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About five to seven. Filament length: About 1 cm. Filament             color: Close to 155B. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther             shape: Ovate. Anther color: Close to 65A. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 25B. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma             shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: Close to 59A. Style             length: About 5 mm. Style color: Close to 59B. Ovary color:             Close to 142B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Pelargonium. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have been     observed to be resistant to Puccinia pelargonii-zonalis and     Xanthomonas campestris pv. pelargonii. Plants of the new Pelargonium     have not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens     common to Pelargoniums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Pelargonium plant named ‘Kuegrapidue’ as illustrated and described. 